The present invention generally relates to a process for conducting an employment search via any of a variety of media such as telephone, employment center PCs, CD Rom, or internet based interactive response platforms. More specifically, the invention is designed to obtain candidate information through these media and evaluate that information based on prerequisites established by the client, or employer. The present invention provides instantaneous evaluation and feedback to an applicant. The process also contains a validation procedure based on employment data collected and analyzed subsequent to use of the process. The present invention, or system, is designed to increase the effectiveness of a company""s employment and recruiting efforts while dramatically reducing hiring costs.
The process used for employment and recruiting has long been a manual format. Over the last five years, the use of technology has grown, but in a very fragmented way. Typically, companies who utilized assessment instruments chose a labor intensive approach that is often inconsistent, and if validated, is clinically based.
In the past, companies managed the employment search from the initial stage, publicizing the opening, through to the last stages, such as the final interview, and have processed candidates through large and overworked staffs. This has lead to elongated cycle times and unaffordable hiring costs. The present system negates both of these trends.
This traditional process inhibits a company from analyzing the effectiveness of employment metrics. When changes occur in the traditional process, such as labor law changes or position requirement changes, it creates disruption and reduces the effectiveness of hiring during the transition.
There have been some prior attempts at providing an effective system or process for conducting employment searches. One such attempt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,270 issued to Walker et al. on Mar. 16, 1999. Walker et al. discloses a system for facilitating employment searches using anonymous communications including a plurality of party terminals, a plurality of requester terminals, and a central controller. Applicants can enter and store their background information into a database, which a prospective employer can access through search requests. The central controller releases applicant information according to the search request.
However, unlike the present invention, Walker et al. does not provide for instantaneous evaluation of that information based on an employer""s criteria, or for programmed feedback to the applicant regarding the status of the application. Moreover, the Walker et al. process is accessible solely through a computer terminal, unlike the present system. Furthermore, unlike the present system, the Walker process does not contain a validation process, which is vital to the overall quality of the interview process and for the ability to conform with EEOC expectations.
Another prior attempt at providing an effective system or process for conducting employment searches is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,497 issued to Taylor on Nov. 3, 1998. Taylor discloses a computer system which manages the exchange of information through two databases. An object of the system is to allow applicants to enter background information in response to a database of job openings. The employer is then able to access the applicant information by entering a search request. Again, this system does not provide instantaneous evaluation and feedback to an applicant. Furthermore, an applicant must enter data via a computer terminal only. Lastly, the system does not contain a validation process to improve the overall quality of the system.
The present invention overcomes the problems and limitations of prior employment search methods and systems, and provides great advantages thereover. The present invention further advances the art of conducting an employment search, and the techniques for obtaining candidate information and evaluating that information, beyond which is known to date.
The present invention provides an automated interview and data collection system that is comprised of job-related questions. The system and process of the present invention automatically and objectively measures a job candidates work ethic, adaptability, teamwork, customer-service orientation, dependability, and other traits. It reduces the client""s or employer""s workload by providing instantaneous automated evaluation of candidate qualifications through interview questions customized for the client""s or employer""s needs, thus relieving the human resources department from time-consuming initial interviews. Furthermore, the present invention delivers better candidates while reducing the exposure to litigation due to illegal or biased questions, as the interviews are examined for these types of aberrations, or personal biases on the part of a human interviewer.
The system of the present invention captures all necessary and desired employment data of a prospective employee, and is accessible daily by the client/employer for evaluation according to that client/employer criteria. Furthermore, the present system and method accepts changes to a client""s or employer""s employment criteria and implements those changes overnight.
The present invention further incorporates a validation procedure assessing both content-oriented validity and criterion-related validity. Content-oriented validation determines the extent to which the interview content corresponds to job content. Criterion-related validation determines the extent to which a predictor score, obtained during the interview process, corresponds to subsequent job performance.
A goal of the invention is to collect candidate information. Data is collected by the system of the present invention via the use of various media including but not limited to Interactive Voice Response telephone technology, CD Rom, and Internet based interactive response platforms. In the first tier of the interview process, candidates are asked questions concerning employment eligibility and availability, job and educational requirements, work experience, work schedule, drug screening acceptance, etc. In the second tier, the system asks questions designed to assess whether a candidate displays critical, job-related behavioral characteristics. The assessment is based upon specifically measured dimensions identified by the client.
A second goal of the invention is to evaluate candidate information to determine which candidates best satisfy the client""s prerequisites. In the first tier, candidates may be eliminated from further consideration depending on their responses to a specific question. If an applicant is not eliminated, the interview development process transitions into the second tier. There, the typical interview consists of numerous questions (for example 35 to 40) that allow the system to determine which applicants best match the criteria set by the client. The candidate""s response to each question is measured along with response time in answering the question. Specific questions function as a trigger question. Inappropriate responses or response time triggers the system to branch and ask additional questions.
A further goal of the invention is to enhance the typical follow-up interview process. Once an initial interview through the system is completed, the system can immediately schedule a candidate for a follow-up interview, to be conducted by either the client/employer or the third-party interviewer at a set time and date. The system can also immediately transfer the candidate to a client/employer or third party interviewer. This feature reduces the labor and time typically expended in contacting applicants and increases the probability that an applicant will be present for a follow-up interview. The follow-up interview is conducted in person or by telephone and consists of open-ended follow-up questions that are developed by either the process or the client/employer. These questions are printed on the applicant""s interview report generated by the system.
In addition, a goal of the process is to provide the client with candidate information. The client has the ability to access candidate information via internet based technology and/or through reports produced by the system and electronically sent to the client.
Another goal of the present invention is to administer interview questions that best exemplify the characteristics of the position. The present invention is able to provide this feature through a profiling process in which background information regarding the position, such as tasks performed and work environment, is obtained and entered into the system. The information is then analyzed to determine ideal characteristics for a position, including skills, abilities, and behavioral traits.
The profiling process begins with a panel of Subject Matter Experts who are consulted to understand which attributes are necessary to perform well in a given position.
A Subject Matter Expert is defined as a person who:
1) has been or is currently an incumbent in the position, or
2) has supervised incumbents holding the position, or
3) has trained incumbents for the position, or
4) has recruited applicants for the position.
Once interview questions are formulated based on the consultation, they are administered to individuals currently holding the position who are considered to be performing at a high level. The individuals are asked to determine the relative importance of tasks associated with the position. The client next examines the proposed list of questions. In addition, actual workplace observations are conducted and recorded. While at the workplace, documents used in the normal course of business maybe collected to provide greater insight into the characteristics of the position. Once all data from these steps is finally collected, a staff containing members with psychological training is implemented to create definitions and standards for various aspects of the position. When the definitions and standards are complete and approved by the client, the actual interview for candidates is then developed and entered into the system.
Still another goal of the invention is to provide validation for the process. The present invention incorporates a content-oriented evaluation. This evaluation is based on the job analysis data gathered in the interview development process. The interview questions are correlated to task statements described in the job description. This allows the content of the interview to correlate to the aspects of the position.
In addition, the present invention incorporates criterion-related evaluations based on concurrent validity and predictive validity. Concurrent validity involves the use in the system of a scoring algorithm for the client""s interview created before administration to applicants. The system contains empirical data of the correlation between interview scores and job performance. The job performance data is provided by immediate supervisors, who are familiar with the employee""s performance, through a performance evaluation configured to assess the identical dimensions measured in the interview. The implementation of a scoring algorithm allows the system to reduce the applicant pool based on interview scores not considered to be optimal.
Furthermore, an item analysis is conducted to determine the Internal Consistency Reliability Coefficient (alpha). This will identify interview questions, which must be modified or eliminated in order to improve the overall quality of the interview prior to administration.
The system also contains a statistical analysis of scores by appropriate race and gender groups to determine if the interview has an adverse impact or causes other equal employment opportunity discrepancies. To perform this analysis, the client must collect Equal Employment Opportunity data for applicants who complete the interview. At no time during the automated interview process will the process determine an applicant""s age or religion. A candidate will be queried to provide race and sexual preference on a voluntary basis. This data is not provided to the client/employer on an individual basis.
Predictive validity involves the collection of performance data as well as a turnover and tenure analysis. The performance data has several forms. The evaluations completed by immediate supervisors, mentioned above, will be statistically correlated with interview responses to determine whether those responses are indicative of job performance. An additional form of performance data includes performance statistics, recorded by the client, which measure employee productivity. Productivity data will be correlated with interview responses in order to develop interview questions that will better ascertain those applicants having greater productivity. Again, an item analysis will be performed on the questions to identify questions which must be modified or eliminated from the interview process. The Internal Consistency Reliability Coefficient (alpha) will be calculated, providing an estimate of the average correlation among the items.
In the turnover and tenure analysis, the turnover rate for those employees hired through the present process is compared to the turnover rate for those employees hired by the traditional hiring methods. The tenure analysis will determine how the system can increase the probability that an applicant will sustain the position for an extended time period. This analysis will be conducted with the necessary data regarding turnover and tenure information provided by the client.
Lastly, there will be a utility analysis that will analyze the cost effectiveness and savings provided by the system. Specific information regarding average salary levels and G and A costs for the selected positions must be provided by the client, in order to perform this analysis.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.